Printing control mechanism



Aug. 6, 1935- H. A. WEINLICH El AL PRINTING CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Illhlllllllllillllhliln nun-.1.

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PRINTING CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o n V g Swami-Z44? a51 mbtozmw W Patented Aug. e, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFlCE PRINTING CONTROL MECHANISM Hermann, Adalbert Weinlich, Berlin-Charlottenburg, and Ulrich Kolm, Berlin, Germany, assignors, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 5, 1929, Serial No. 376,142 In Germany January 26, 1929 Claims.

The invention relates to accounting machines and particularly to the printing mechanism for such machines. and has for its principal object the provision of a novel form of character suppression mechanism.

The system, while not limited to such use, finds particular application to automatic tabulators which add and print items derived from perforated record cards and will be explained in connection with an electrical machine of this type. The numbers are represented on the record cards byperforations arranged in vertical columns each column pertaining to a denominational order. The digits from 0 to 9 are represented by perforations in the columns which perforations are progressively displaced according to the particular digits which they represent. Ordinarily a digit in the lowermost position represents 9, one in the next higher represents eight and so on. The cards are fed with a steady motion beneath electrical brushes in the tabulator, one brush.being provided for each card column, and each brush, asit encounters a perforation, causes a timed impulse whose timing corresponds to the value of the digit represented by the perforation. These impulses operate counter and printer magnets whereby the number represented on the card may be added and printed.

' It is common practice in subtracting numbers by accounting machines to add the comple-' mentary value of the subtrahend. Inthe present case it will be assumed that this is done by punching the complementary value of the subtrahend directly on the record and as ordinarily" the nine complement of the subtrahend isv used and an additional unit entered into the units columnto obtain the true complement it will be assumed that the nine complement is punched on the card and the additional unit entered in one of the well known manners, for example as in the British Patent'No. 273,731.

It has been suggested, in dealing with complements, as for example in the British Patent No. 304,383, that the type on the usual type bar be inverted in order that; when a complementary value is entered on the accumulating mechanism, the true value corresponding to it will be printed.

Thus .when a nine perforation occurs on a record the printing mechanism will function to print zero, an eight perforation causes printing of one and so on. In such a case it is desirable to suppress the printing of zeros to the left of the first significant figure and is the prime purpose of the invention to provide a zero suppression system adapted to such a printing mechanism.

In tabulating work every column of the record cards is punched and hence printing must be v suppressed from 'all perforations which tend to print zeros to the left of the first significant figure of a number. The usual method is to suppress zero printing from record cards entirely and control the printing of zeros which occur to the right of the first significant figure from the 10 Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the relative arrangement of the index point position on the control card and the type on the type bar for complementary printing;

Fig. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a tabulating machine with zero suppression according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view of the accumulator showing a plurality of accumulating elements;

Fig. 4 is a view of the printing mechanism showing a plurality of type bars and printing magnets;

Fig. 5 is a time chart representing diagrammatically the timing of two of the cam controlled contact devices.

The circuit diagram illustrated in Fig. 2 is that of a standard tabulator of well known type such as shown in the patent to Bryce No. 1,702,628, dated February 19, 1929 but as the present invention relates only to character suppression in a certain portion of the mechanism only those parts which directly concern this portion of the mechanism have been shown. Referring to Fig. 1, the record card A moves downwardly in the direction of the adjacent arrow to bring its index point positions successively under the brushes B. The type bar T, which is coordinated with a record column moves upwardly as indicated by its arrow in synchronism with the card movement so that each type slug on the bar passes printing position opposite the platen P as its correspondcard but that the true values are to be printed the type slugs are reversed in order, so that the new type passes printing position as the nine index point on the record' passes the analyzing brushes B. Whenever the brushes B encounter a perforation an electromagnet interrupts further movement of the type bar leaving the proper type in position for printing. In the present case the zero type which must be suppressed is uppermost on the bar and therefore presents a special problem in suppression.

Referring to Fig. 2 the usual driving motor for operating the machine during tabulating or adding is shown at TM and this is controlled by circuits and relays indicated at C so that perforated record cards pass the lower brushes LB successively to have their perforations analyzed. Whenever a brush encounters a perforation a timed impulse fiows through a counter magnet Z serving to enter the corresponding number on a counter wheel. Several such magnets Z have been shown and each is distinguished by a different subscript after the letter Z. Where the description refers to a letter without an accompanying subscript, it includes the several orders; viz. reference to magnet Z applies to Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4. The magnet Z1 also causes contact 21 to open, breaking its circuit to prevent sparking at the brushes, and contacts .91 to close.

. cuit for the printing magnet S1 which interrupts the motion of the type bar as previously explained and holds the proper type in printing position. This mechanism is well known in the art and is therefore but briefly described here. For fuller explanation, reference may be had to Patent No. 1,307,740, issued June 24, 1919 to C. D. Lake in which the elements 2, I and I3 correspond to the elements LB, Z and z respectively. Patent No. 1,822,594, issued September 8, 1931 to C. D. Lake, corresponding to British Patent No. 216,142, also discloses in greater detail elements LB, Z, 2 and s which correspond to elements 59, 98, 99 and I 00 in that patent. Reference may also be had to Patent No. 1,534,531, issued April 21, 1925 to C. D. Lake. In the present case, of course, this type represents the true value of a complementary number on the record card and adding element.

It will be noted that the zero type on the bars pass printing position first so that if zero suppression is to occur it must become effective from the beginning of the cycle while if a zero is to be printed it must likewise be selected at the beginning of the cycle. A relay R1 is wired in par-' allel with the printing magnet and in series with cam contacts H which close only at the nine index point position, which in the present case corresponds to the zero position of the type bar. This relay is provided with contacts Ti and contacts ti, the contacts n being in the circuit of the corresponding printing magnet 81 and the contacts t1 forming an additional circuit for this magnet through the contacts 1': of the next higher denominational order. All the print magnets 8 have a common return circuit it including cam contacts it, which are normally closed, but which open temporarily shortly before the nine index point position, this opening occurring, however, before the cam contacts I! close and terminating shortly after contacts l1 close.

Bearing this circuit arrangement in mind, the operation may be most clearly understood from a specific example. The subscripts to the letters representing the brushes, counter and printer magnets and relays indicate the several denominational orders. Assume that a certain record card passing the brushes is punched to represent the nine complement 9949 in columns traversed by brushes L34, LB:, LB: and LBi respectively,

and that the true value 50 is to be printed. Inv

this event printer magnet 81 must effect printing The latter establish a cir-- of 0, printer magnet 82 must effect printing of 5 and printing must be suppressed from printer magnets S: and S4. As the nine index point position of the card arrives under the brushes an impulse is emitted for counter magnets Z1, Z3 and Z4 but not for Z2. Counter magnets Z1, Z: and Z4 therefore close their contacts si, s: and s4 and establish circuits for the relays R1, R3 and R4 whereupon contacts Tl, T3 and 1'4 open and contacts ii, is and t4 close. Contacts r2 remain closed and contacts t: and .92 remain open, as their corresponding counter magnet Z2 has not yet received an energizing impulse.

The circuits of the relays R1, R3 and R4 are completed through cam contacts ll whichyit will be recalled, close in the nine position after contacts l6 have opened but before they close again. Contacts I6 now close while the nineindex point position is still at the brushes and the effect is.

to energize printer magnet S1 causing it to arrest its printing bar in zero position. The circuit for the magnet S1 extends as follows: through cam contacts is, line I5, contacts T2, line 2!, contacts ti, to printer magnet Si, thence through contacts s1, previously closed by the energization of counter magnet Z1, for the entry of nine on the counter, and thence to the other side of the line. The energization of the printer magnet Si in this case is made dependent on the non-energization of a relay R in a higher denominational order. This non-energization depends, of course, on whether the higher denominational order printing magnet is to effect printing of a significant figure as that is the only case in which it receives no impulse in the nine index point position. The fact that contacts 1'; are closed when cam contacts 16 close has no effect on the printer magnet S: as the circuit of the latter is open at s:.

In the case of printer magnets S3 and S4 there is no contact r left closed in the higher denominational orders to complete their circuits during the cycle andconsequently they are not energized at all and their type bars rise to their highest position in which no type may print. It will be noted that several zeros in successive denominational orders to the right of a significant figure may be printed as the closure of any contacts r provides a path for all lower denominational orders in which the contacts t are closed.

Later in the cycle, when brush LB: encounters the perforation in the four index point position the magnet Z2 will be energized to enter four on the counter. Incidentally contacts s2 close to establish the circuit of printing magnet S: and the corresponding type bar stops with its five" type in printing position. Toward the end of the cycle after the several type have printed, the contacts s open in the usual manner, Thus at the beginning of each cycle of operation the machine circuits assume the condition shown in Fig. 2.

A further example will now be explained. Assume the direct number 901 is to be printed, in which case the record card is perforated with the nines complement 9098 in columns traversed by brushes L134, L131, LB: and LBi, respectively. As the nine index point position of the card arrives magnets Z4 and Z: causing closure of their related contacts 34 and 8:. At this time contacts I! are closed and contacts ii are open so that closure of contacts 84 and s: will effect energization of their related. relay magnets R4 and R: causing closure of contacts t4 and t: and opening of contacts 11 and n. Closure of contacts I while contacts ll -at the brushes an impulse is emitted for counter a the cycle the direct number 901 will be printed in response to the perforations 9098.

Having now explained the invention, what claimed is:

1. In an accounting machine, an automatic printing device comprising a plurality of movable type carriers each having a plurality of spaced type mounted thereon, a record card movable synchronously with said type carriers and having rows of index point positions, corresponding to the type spacing, card analyzing means, control devices adapted to be operated by said analyzing means in response to the analysis of a single row of index point positions only and means controlled by said devices for controllingthe operation of the carriers to print zeros selectively in the positions to the rightof the highest order significant figure to be printed.

2. In an accounting machine, means for analyzing digit representing perforations in the columns of a record card in the order 9, 8,-0, printing mechanism in the order 0, 1 9, said card being movable synchronously with said printing mechanism, means for controlling the'operation of said printing mechanism for zero printing and means controlled by said analyzing means and operative upon analysisof the nine digit perforations for setting said controlling means to suppress the printing of zeros to the left of the highest order significant figure of the number to be printed.

3. In an accounting machine, means for analyzing perforations in a record in the order 9, 8,-0, said perforations representing by their location the complement of a number, a1 zero printing control device settable under control of said analyzing means in accordance with the occurrence of perforations representing nines, printing mechanism adapted to present type in the order 0, 1-9, a record card movable synchronously with said printing mechanism and means controlled by said control device for selecting zeros for printing in certain orders of the number to be printed and for suppressing the printing of zeros ,in certain other orders.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which the selection and suppression of zeros is effected prior to the analysis of the digit representing perforations otherthan those representing nines.

5. In a machine of the class described, means for analyzing the index point positions of a record .card for perforations representing the complement of a number, printing mechanism controlled by said analyzing means to print the complementary value of the number analyzed, a record card movable synchronously with said printing mechanism, relays controlled by said analyzing means in response to perforations in the card representing nines, and means controlled by said relays for controlling the operation of the printing mechanism to print zeros selectively to the right of the highest order in which no nine perforation is present.

HERMANN ADALBERT WEINLICH. ULRICH KOLM. 

